Forever For you
by Niisa1912
Summary: A reunion no one saw coming nor asked for. The return of the long dead past and a new upcoming evil. Does fate have a hand to play, or is the red string binding everyone together just another dark symptom of Umbrella's undoing.
1. Midnight Thoughts

**St. Louis, Missouri. July 19th, 2012**

–

 _St. Louis University of Missouri, Biology department…_

The sharp light reflected against Rebecca's glasses while she scrolled through her email yet again; her light brown bangs, due for another trim, falling in front of her eyes every time she looked down at the paper in front of her on the keyboard. She double and triple checked it, making sure she had all that she needed and that she had met the requirements laid out before her. Her foot tapped to a silent beat while her fingers rapped against the desk, her mind deep into her work. Mumbling back her own words to herself, her other hand had found its way to her temple and she began rubbing it mindlessly. Mind switching between her outline to what she had on the PowerPoint, she felt herself going a little mad with the redundancy of it all.

 _Well, it is just a speaking gig.._

"Better to be overly prepared than under prepared" she mumbled to herself, propping herself in her hand as she checked one last time. Satisfied with her thorough mental checklist she closed her laptop with a sigh and placed it in her bag along with her charger and USBs for the next day. Grabbing her outline for her speech and the notes that went with, she put it along with her laptop as well, keeping everything together. Check out wasn't until the day after she's supposed to give the speech so she settled for not worrying about packing until much later. She sat back in the soft armchair of her hotel room and rubbed her eyes furiously. She wasn't tired. No, if anything she just felt mentally drained. From her flight, to the delay, getting her rental car and then overall making sure her speech was put together properly and thoughtfully, it was time to call it a night. She dropped her hands and looked to the front of the room near the TV and spotted a Keurig machine on top of a table, along with it was Keurig cups of different coffee flavors and some select tea bags. She bit her lip in thought and then checked her watch. It was 11:35 at night and she had to be at the university by 8am the latest…

 _Well, why not._

She stood up and made her way to the little machine and grabbed a small cup that was provided by the hotel. She went to the bathroom to fill up the cup and came back to the machine and poured it into the hatch it had. She ripped open the tea package and dropped the black tea bag into the cup, placing it on the machine and turning it on. As the water audibly heated up before pouring, she walked toward the balcony and opened the glass door leading to it. It was a beautiful night for July. Not super warm, but not remotely cold either. A breeze would come through and it would make her somehow feel new, refreshed, like she could take on anything. It was a feeling she wish she always had, a good dose of motivation just given to her instead of needing to force herself to do things.

The machine dinged and pulled her from her thoughts momentarily. She ran back inside, grabbed the hot cup and brought it back outside. She leaned against the wall of the balcony and stared out into the city. It wasn't the prettiest site, not like Chicago or New York, but it was still a nice view from her room. That was one thing she always tried to aim for when she needed to stay in a hotel room. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath and exhaled, that same relaxing breeze hitting her again. She leaned in further, relaxing into her environment more and more, getting completely lost into the feeling when she heard a small clink from her movement. She opened her eyes and looked down her pajama top; a familiar, dull silver staring back at her.

 _Oh, right._

She looked back up toward the skyline and gave a resigned sigh, feeling an all too familiar void in her resurface. Why does she do this to herself? She hasn't seen the man in over 14 years, she should have left this dumb thing behind in Racoon City with the rest of the evidence from the mansion and training facility. She grabbed her now cooled down tea and began to sip at it. What was she hoping to gain by keeping it? Bringing it to every job and mission she had? She checked her watch again, it was 12:01, then ran her fingers through her hair and groaned in utter frustration. It was getting late. She doesn't think about him anymore; not like how she used to at least. In the beginning it was damn near every day since they parted ways. She always wondered, did he make it through the forest? Did he ever gain the deserved freedom he sought after? Or did he succumb to the evils that lurked in the dark well after they left the Arklay mountains? Where was he now? Was he even still alive?

These were thoughts she had during her time in the mansion and when she was writing up the report of his 'passing'. Even after Racoon City was no more, she still couldn't help but think about him; the man that had disappeared from her life just as fast as he had appeared. Fortunately as she had gotten older, he came to her thoughts less frequently to almost non-existent. Her holding onto the dog tags was purely habit by this point, second nature. Perhaps it grounded her, reminded her of where she came from and what she's overcome. It kept her anxiety at bay and allowed her to continue on with her ,sometimes difficult, tasks calmly and collectively.

 _Or maybe you're just full of shit and keep coming up with excuses._

Frowning, she stared at her tea before drinking it more, the now cold liquid tasting bitter to her. Was she coming up with excuses? Maybe. She didn't know why anymore, and not knowing annoyed her to no end. She drank the rest of the tea and crushed the paper cup in her hand, her fist balling in a sudden fit of anger.

"Dammit Coen!" She pressed her face into her hands and said exasperated through gritted teeth. "Leave me alone already! You're probably not even alive anymore!" Her eyes went wide at her own words and she shut her own mouth. Saying it out loud, even just hypothetically, caused a huge pressure in her chest. Her throat tightened and she had to take a few deep breaths to alleviate the sudden pain. She grabbed the dog tags around her neck and squeezed them. How awful was she? How could she say such a thing? Yes, she's upset and yes; thinking about him frustrates her. But there's no reason for her to take it out on him, even if he's not there with her. Swallowing hard she came to a much needed realization, one she needed years ago.

She stared at the sky one last time and nodded. "You're alive. You're alive and living your life." A sad smile graced her features and lump in her throat formed. "It's time i finally do the same thing." Voice shaking, her eyes stung once she announced her resolve and she willed away the watery sensation, looking down and blinking rapidly. "Yea." With that, she goes back into her room and slides the balcony door closed and draws the curtains. Peeling off her slipper socks and crawling into bed, she takes off the dog tags and lays them next to her glasses. She gave them one long look, her mind going over it all again.

Tomorrow will be the last time she holds onto the past like this.


	2. Is that Coffee or a Sundae?

**July, 2012. St. Louis, Missouri**

The harsh sun rays beating down on her was already enough to make her want to retreat back into the sweet coolness of her hotel room. Sweat had already begun to bead down her back and on her chest, creating damp spots that could surely be spotted by anyone if it isn't taken care of that instant. Great, just what she needed to start the day; she really chose a bad time to wear a white cardigan. The burning, angry orb in the sky caused her to squint as she tried finding where she had parked at, it was so bright outside it was damn near blinding. Mother Nature had certainly shown no mercy this morning and Rebecca cursed it; why today of all days? After going around and back and forth, pressing the lock button non-stop and listening for the tell-tale beep for what felt like a half hour, she finally found her rental and unlocked the door, making a dash for it. The door flew open and she all but tossed her laptop bag and her purse into the passenger seat before climbing in herself and immediately cranking the A/C to blast once the car was on; she relished in the feeling of the cool air hitting her now damp skin, which created an even cooler feeling that felt incredibly relieving. Sweat had made her hand that held her key tightly all gross and moist; she grimaced and wiped both hands onto her dark grey slacks in hopes of drying them enough to handle the wheel.

Finally she was well on her way to the campus and with what looked like time to spare. With the GPS guiding her to the fastest route, she decided to make a small pit stop at a Starbucks; there was no way she could start the day without her morning caffeine hit. Normally she would try to resist it when she was crunched for time; but with how this morning was going she would certainly make an exception. Tongue poking through her teeth as she searched left and right for the nearest one, she spotted it and quickly but carefully guided her car in that direction; much to what she percieves as dismay from the woman on the GPS. The line was quite long, coming as no surprise to her considering the time; but she was determined. She waited in the back of the line, deciding to enjoy the now almost too cool air in her car while she can. The radio was playing some generic, light 80s music, which she settled for. Not that she was very picky in the first place; at this point her mind was set on just getting through the day. The time states she had about 30 minutes to get to the campus and the line was moving at a snail's pace.

"We can make it." She said to herself in the rear view mirror and attempted a smirk. Unfortunately, the stress on her face completely foiled her attempt at looking remotely confident; the kids would love her. A closer look and she could see how little sleep she had gotten, her bags dark and deep, eyes bloodshot and her skin paler than usual. She crinkled her freckled nose in disappointment and looked away.

Sighing in defeat she looked forward and inched ahead slowly when there was space. She leaned back in her seat and began to fidget mindlessly, her itching anxiety, which had begun the moment she woke up, was starting to get the best of her again. Swallowing hard, she took a few deep breaths and soon found herself carelessly fiddling with the silver chain around her neck; fingers dancing across the bead like chain and pulling it lightly back and forth, creating enough friction on her neck with it where it began to heat up her skin underneath, eyebrows furrowed deep in thought, paying no mind to her actions as it wandered further and further away from her. Her hand soon went low enough on the chain to touch the little engraved plates, the same ones that she had gotten so used to grazing her fingertips over; it was then she realized what she was doing. Immediately she brought her hands to the steering wheel and forced herself to focus; treating herself like as if she were a child playing with something she had no business playing with.

 _'We were done with that Rebecca'_ she chastised herself. _'You said after today we were done..'_ another voice that didn't sound like her own had retorted; she paused and thought back to the night before and how she caused herself nothing but grief over the damn things. It took her a moment to ponder it before mumbling and allowing herself to go back to doing what seemed to be some form of coping mechanism.

Could it really be that? Is it just coping?Well, she did always have a fidgeting issue growing up; her mother would always scold her for biting her nails when she was studying, or playing with her hair when speaking to authoritative figures. So in a way, she guessed it was.

 _'Cool, but now you're a little obsessive with a chain that belongs to someone that might as well be a fucking ghost.'_

Ouch. With that last unpleasant thought she dropped the chain, allowing the plates to smack against her clothed chest, and brought her hands back to the steering wheel, squeezing tightly until her knuckles turned white. Much to her relief, the line was finally moving at a faster pace and she couldn't have asked for better timing. Sometimes, with as brilliant as her mind can be; it was also the most terrifying place to get lost in. Once she finally got her treat from the barista at the window that she seeked, she left the drive thru and sped out of the parking lot making her way to the University in a timely manner.

Small, quick steps echoed in the near empty hall that still smelled like lemon pledge from what must have been the janitor mopping earlier. The scent hitting her as she had gone through the double doors at the front of school and it had persisted in following her as she made her way through the building. Eyes darting back and forth feverishly, she searched for the door number she was given from the front office. The light blues of the halls made her a little dizzy with how they blended in with the just as blue lockers. Once upon finding the lecture hall, she gave a light but sound knock before opening the door. She was greeted by a balding, heavy set man with a weary smile. She returned the smile and half-heartedly presented her laptop bag that hung from her shoulder.

"I'm here." She said with a tune. The man nodded and walked toward her to shake her hand.

"Ah, Professor Chambers, thank you so much for taking the time to come out here and speak with us. Its good to meet you finally." The man attempted to sound cheery but his tired eyes failed him, he looked nearly as bad as she felt. She feigned the same sentiment and beamed as brightly as she could muster. "Its great to be here, I'm eager to speak with the students."

For now, the hall was empty; which allowed Rebecca to set herself up at the front of the room, connecting the laptop to the projecter and ensuring the clicker was receiving well and there wouldn't be any delays. The room was fairly large, allowing ample seats and space for the students but also causing some concern that it wouldn't be filled completely. Not that it really mattered to her, the money was good enough just for her to show up. Once she decided that she was all set, she stood by the podium and sipped at her coffee, which brought a small smile to her face. The whip cream and bits of sprinkle giving her that good bit of dopamine she needed. She looked at the tired professor and shrugged, the smile never leaving her face. "So now we wait."

Soon enough, students piled in and found their seats, some coming in the last few minutes before she was supposed to begin. She eyed the professor carefully as he strode in front of the now seated class and greeted everyone. He reminded everyone that this would be counted toward their participation in the class and he expected them all to be fully engaged. Rebecca nodded along following his tone as she waited for her cue.

"Now, without further ado, I give the floor to Professor Chambers." Rebecca gave her winning smile and stepped forward to give her own greeting as well before beginning her presentation. Starting with a hook-in opening that may or may not have actually worked; she went into auto-pilot, her mouth moving before her mind could fully understand what she herself was saying. It was all a special science in itself, something she had perfected over the years since she began taking speaking roles. Sure, the subject itself would sometimes change, but it was always something she was very knowledgeable in especially with her background. Pacing the room, maintaining eye contact with each student at a time, taking only seconds to peak at her outline on the desk and hardly if ever looking at her own PowerPoint; there was a reason why she was always called to these things. Once she had completed her lecture, she paused and looked around the room, taking in all the tired but interested faces.

"Any questions?" She asked cheerfully, shooting a bright smile. A few hands shot up simultaneously and chuckled; she figured as much. After answering each and every question, sometimes repeating herself multiple times or rehashing something, the presentation was over. "If nothing else, then I thank you for your time and I wish you guys luck on the rest of your semester."

Rebecca steps to the side and the professor speaks with the class briefly, giving his final words before dismissing them. The students were then filing out in a quick flurry, some in a hurry to get to their next class or to go home. Tossing her now empty coffee cup, she began to gather her things and said goodbye to the students that passed the podium to thank her for the lesson. Laptop bag in tow with everything inside, she threw her purse over her shoulder and walked up to the professor standing by the door. "Thank you for having me here, it was a pleasure."

He extended his own hand and gave her a much brighter grin than he had early that morning, the coffee probably finally kicking in. "Thank you again Professor, really; you had the class' undivided attention and I'm sure your lecture will stick with them for the remainder of the semester" he gave a hearty chuckle. "That is as long as the alcohol doesn't make 'em forget it all." She forced a laugh and nodded along, quickly excusing herself.

Making her way down the halls, she attempted to dodge the suddenly heavy traffic but with little success. She pursed her lips together and looked around, everyone seemed to be far taller than her and it made moving much more difficult when she couldn't even see. She groaned and settled for standing by a water fountain in an indentation of the wall until the halls somewhat cleared. With every visit she made to a school, the less she missed when she was a student herself. Granted, she hasn't been a student since she was 18; it still help stomp out whatever nostalgia she could have held. Once the hall seemed navigatable, she made her way out of the school and head for her rental. Once in, she took a deep breath and checks the time; it was only 11:20. She tapped at the steering wheel and thought about her options. Her job was done and her flight wasn't until the next day. Biting her lip, she shrugged and whipped out her phone.

"Let's see what St. Louis has to offer."


	3. An Old Face

**June, 1997**

 _"2nd Lieutenant. On all 23 counts of murder, which violates the laws placed by the Geneva Convention and the UCMJ, I hereby sentence you to execution by lethal injection." Feigned gasps can be heard all around the court room and a few jeers from a select few. The jury, which were all officers of higher rank, all stared with solemn, reserved faces. The old judge smacked his mallet a couple times calling for order, indicating he wasn't done. "You're separation from the United States Marine Corps begins now and i strip you of your rank entirely from now until the date of your execution. You will be transferred to the Regathon base and remain there for the entirety of your sentencing." The room grew smaller as he was pulled away, eyes never tearing away from the sight that would haunt him for the rest of his existence._

 _The day his life ended._

 _-_  
 **St. Louis, Missouri. July 20th, 2012**

"Hey, Michael!" a distant voice echoing in the factory pulled him from his thoughts. He stood up from where he crouched, careful not to hit a metal beam and crossed his arms expectantly.

"Yea, what is it?" He asked half-annoyed when his 'friend' jogged toward him. The word 'friend' was really pushing their relationship; really he was just one of the guys at that factory that he hated least. The stubby little man was a few feet away from him, his beer belly peaking from underneath his size too small shirt. His bald head was red and wet from the heat, clearly jogging was making it that much more worst for him. He almost resembled a pig running around a pen.

Said 'friend' tossed him a bottle of water and he accepted it wholeheartedly, he opened it and drank it all in one motion, allowing some water to dribble down his cheeks and chin. It was incredibly hot that day, which wasn't surprising for summer in Missouri; but being in the factory made the heat that much more worst. He had his work shirt off and wrapped around his waist, allowing his skin to breathe with his white tank top on underneath. Sure, it was a hazard what with all the pieces of metal and other debris flying around, but it was fucking _scorching_. The ice cold liquid felt incredibly satisfying against his burning face and dry mouth. "Ah, thanks I really needed that." He licked his lips and crushed the bottle between his hands before tossing it into the nearest trash can that was meant for recycled metal. Not that he actually cared, nobody there really actually cared about any of the 'rules' laid before them. He checked his watch and hummed with satisfaction when he noticed it was close to lunch time. He looked at his 'friend' that still stood there smiling dumbly and sighed. "So Stan, where are we eating today?"

Before they could get into the nitty and gritty about the details for their lunch, a manager walked by and gave them a dirty look. "Hey! you're still on the clock! Get back to work you fucking idiots!" His dirty, tired and wrinkled face looked that much more horrid when he scowled at them and they had to stifle a chuckle as he stalked off to go harass other employees taking a breather from all the hard labor.

Back to the subject at hand, Stan looked at him and brought out his phone. "So Mike, there's this place that actually just opened up I was thinking we could hit up. Its just a few blocks out and-" As Stan continued to drone on, falling into a tangent as he does usually 'Michael' unintentionally tuned him out.

 _Officially_ _, Lieutenant Billy Coen is dead._ A very small, almost unrecognizable feminine voice echoed in the back of his head; a far distant memory from his past.

Yea, that's right. Billy Coen died 14 years ago. He died somewhere deep in the forest of the Arklay Mountains when the jeep transferring him was attacked by unknown beasts. He survived the altercation, but died somewhere else in the deep, dark forest where other deaths had been occurring inexplicably; and then outside the forest from then on, Michael Harris was born. Now he's just a blue collar worker, another cog in the system.

"Mike? Hey Mike!" Billy shook out his thoughts and watched Stan wave a hand in front of him. "Earth to Michael, what the fuck are you smoking, bro?" Billy rolled his eyes and snatched Stan's phone, looking over the place that he was just talking about.

"I dunno man, I don't think i'm too keen on getting food poisoning just yet. Maybe if I had sick days it would be different." He smirked and passed the phone back, "Let's just grab Mcdonalds and call it a day."

Stan huffed and pocketed his phone. "You won't get food poisoning! You'd probably get sick faster if we keep eating that fast food shit. Don't you read anything about that place? They put all kinds of unnatural shit in there to make you addicted and fat and-"

Billy, who was wiping his sweat and oil covered hands on his work pants cut him off before he could go on. "You weren't saying that when you ordered 50 chicken nuggets last week." Stan stopped mid-rant and glared at Billy, who was laughing at his expense.

"And i got sick, which proves my point."

"I'm pretty sure you did get sick, but it wasn't any chemical they put in there; you got sick because you're the idiot who ordered 50 nuggets and _ate all 50 nuggets in a single sitting_." He emphasized on the last bit and threw a dirty rag at him which Stan barely caught. "Now wipe your face before you get more riled up, you look like shit when you sweat."

Stan grumbled and wiped the sweat off his forehead and cheeks. They both began to move away from Billy's station and toward the front of the factory. "You know Mike, it sounds crazy but ya gotta believe some of the crazy shit that happens. What if Mcdonalds is putting shit in the food to put shit in our systems? Like all that crazy shit that happened with that old medical company? Ya know what was it called..." Billy was mostly ignoring him as he walked; he would wave at some of the other guys there that were closer to his age that continued to work instead of leaving for lunch. "Oh, Umbrella! That's what they were called!"

Billy stopped suddenly, the familiarztion with the name striking a nerve deep in him "What?" he turned toward Stan with a scowl.

Stan quickly put his hands up in surrender. "Sorry sorry I know that's an awful example but...what if-"

"No, dumbass. Mcdonalds is not infecting people the same way that Umbrella did all that shit. Entirely different situations and obviously very different outcomes." He seethed, his fists balling without him realizing. "Before you say such stupid shit again, make sure you know what you're talking about."

At this point, anyone in the nearest vicinity was watching the conversation unfold, anticipating a fight. All of their faces eager for some form of entertainment made Stan feel fairly uneasy; Billy, upon realizing this, dropped his hands and cleared his throat. "Sorry." The sound of disappointment traveled about as all the factory workers watching went back to work, fucking vultures.

Stan, happy for the change in pace finally merely nodded and attempted a smile. "I-It's okay. I'm sorry I probably shouldn't have said that...I didn't think you'd get so upset." They continued to walk through the factory, Billy's eyes traveling back and forth as he observed everyone in the building.

He didn't know what came over him, but to mention Umbrella and all their evil deeds in such an ignorant way really made his blood boil. Not that Stan actually meant any real harm, he's just a bumbling idiot that wasn't willing to be accountable for his own actions that did nothing but harm himself in the end; just like the 50 nuggets.

They made there way to the locker room where they gathered any thing needed, keys, wallet, or in Stan's case, another energy locker room, which honestly looked like an old run down storage room that they just threw old lockers in, left much to be desired. There were permanent stains on the old disgusting tiles, paint on the walls chipping severely and exposing the dry wall underneath. There was a grotesque smell in the air that they all had unfortunately grown accustomed to, it smelled like a mix of old garbage and a dead animal; he was convinced that there was in fact some poor creature dead inside the walls, like a raccoon or a lot of squirrels or _something._ He didn't even want to think about the bathroom, he never set foot into it and couldn't believe anyone would willingly use it.

Billy sat at the incredibly creaky, unstable bench and looked at his watch, they were far ahead schedule and didn't have break for another few minutes. That was fine though, the more time killed the better. Especially now, he hadn't been able to get much sleep as of late and he couldn't figure out why. Even now his eyes felt incredibly heavy, the dark bags underneath so prominent he could _feel_ them and he was sure he looked even older than he actually was.

 _You're also not exactly young anymore, Coen._

Billy's lips went into a tight line and he scratched at the scruff that was slowly becoming a full on beard. Deciding to not dwell, he started to put his work shirt back on properly before starting to head out when he saw Stan peeking over at someone on the other side of the locker room. He scowled and tapped his foot impatiently. "What are you doing, now?" Stan waved and made shushing sounds, never taking his eyes from where he was looking. Rolling his eyes, Billy stepped to where he was and decided to sneak a peak as well; what was so damn interesting?

A younger guy that looked to be in his late 20s or early 30s, was standing around a locker that he _knew_ wasn't his. After a moment or two of looking around nervously, he pulled a lock out of his pocket and locked the locker that very much belonged to someone else who had temporarily stepped out. Once it was locked, he quickly walked out of the locker room and stifled a laugh at the mere thought of what he's done. Shortly after, an older man who was now barefoot walked into the room and stood in front of said locker, his mouth agape in angered shock. He tried to put a random combination and yanked at the foreign lock, with no success. His fists balled and he started looking around frantically, screaming in polish at the guys nearest to him. Billy groaned and turned around to leave; he didn't have time for this juvenile shit. Stan saw his movement and quickly started to follow, not wanting to be left behind.

They were back in the factory and going to the giant garage like entrance where they had parked. Most everyone by now had left or were in the process of leaving except for the select few managers that still roamed the run down building. Stan was going on about that new restaurant again and he finally caved. "Fine, we'll go. But if I get sick, you're paying my medical bill." He said fake-threatening.

Stan chuckled but agreed. "Yes fine, that's a deal then."

They settled for walking to the place that Stan spoke of since it was just a few blocks away. Might as well save gas, and Billy was /certainly/ in the position to be wanting to save gas. They passed by a few more industrial type buildings, and he observed as Stan started rambling again about something. The air felt nice when the clouds temporarily protected them from the sun's wrath; he closed his and took a deep breath. If only it wasn't so fucking hot, he would enjoy it more. Almost as quickly as it came, the clouds disappeared along with any cool breeze that came with it. With the sun bearing down on the duo, they started to sweat profusely again and felt their already gross uniforms stick to them. Stan of course had to be dramatic about It, pulling at it in different ways and whining. Billy's eyes opened once the momentarily calming atmosphere quickly diminished and he groaned. Between Stan's whining and the burning on his face Billy swore he was going to lose it one way or another. The restaurant was just a few feet away when Billy stopped and turned to go off on the chubby little man; hands raising in anger, he halted all actions when someone in the near distance caught his attention. A small, slender woman in a white cardigan leaving a coffee shop in a rush. He dropped his hands and kept staring, why did she seem so...familiar? Something about her walk and what he could see of her face made his stomach turn, a sudden feeling of immense anxiety and something else bubbling up in him. The back of his neck dripped from cold sweat and he was sure it wasn't from the heat.

Then they locked eyes for one moment, one small, earth shattering moment. A moment he never knew had he waited, no, /longed/ for so desperately. It was as if everything in the universe had aligned itself to carve the path he was on, throwing every obstacle in the way to direct him right here right now. There was no way this was happening. No, he's finally lost it entirely; he's just seeing shit and in reality is staring down some poor woman who was just trying to get her afternoon coffee and now she's staring back thinking he was some creep, or worst. In the midst of his racing mind and constant staring, the very moment he kept thinking about was walking right in his direction; the distant figure getting closer and closer, the familiarization turned into absolute recognition.

Billy felt like he was punched square in the chest.

 _'I guess it's time to say goodbye.'_

Those words would cycle through his head from time to time, but he always ignored It, always packed it in the back of his mind along with the rest of the life he had before that moment. It was far too painful to remember what his old life was. Now here he was, facing part of that life head on; the last bit that existed before Billy Coen died.

Stan had been trying to get his attention yet again, talking loudly and waving his hand. But Billy was far too distracted to notice as the nicely dressed woman approached them; her reflected _exactly_ how he felt, her hands up in disbelief. She was a few feet away now, they watched each other carefully in silence. Any previous doubts were now completely gone as the reality of the situation finally settled in.

"You.." her voice was so soft he almost thought she hasn't said anything at all. "You're...here...like, here." She repeated herself, unable to formulate her thoughts. What would you say in this situation? "Alive." A small, hesitant nod. "You're alive and well."

"No," Billy shook his head and fought a smile. "I'm just a zombie now, _remember_?" Repeating the last words he had said to her that bright and early morning all those years seemed to break whatever barrier she seemed to be holding up. She looked up at him with wide, glossy, blue eyes. They stood before each other exactly the same way they had the last time they saw each other, and a certain air seemed to engulf them both; making the world around them stop in place.

" _Billy..."_

" _Rebecca..."_


	4. Important Notice!

Hey guys sorry but uploading to this site kinda sucks and thats why i stopped updating here. If you're interested in my works my fics can be found on my AO3 under the same name!

I'd appreciate it if you continued to support my work there as it's easier for me to upload without re-formatting!


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